Feeding mechanism for labeling-machines.



F. 0. WOODLAND, DECD. r. s. woooumo & A. r. KELLEY. wmmjsmmoas.

' FEEDING MECHANISM FOR LABELING MACHINES.

APPLICATION man SEPT- 21. ms.

1,199,516. memedsebt. 26,1916.

2 SHEETS'XSHEET I.

, F. 0. WOODLAND, DECD. F. S. WOODLAND & A. F. KELLEY. ADMINISTRATORS.

FEEDiNG MECHANISM FOR LABELING MACHINES." APPLICATION man SEPT. 21. 19 15;

1 ,1 99,5 1 6 v Patented Sept. 26 191k 2 SHEET$SHE ET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK O. WOODLAND, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS; FRANCES S. WOODLAND AND ARTHUR F. KELLEY, ADMINISTRATORS OF SAID FRANK O. WOODLAND, DECEASED, ASSIGNORS T0 ECONOMIC MACHINERY COMPANY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHU- SETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR LA 'FELING-MACHINES.

To all whom it mag concern:

Be' it known that I, FRANK O. W'ooDL-ANo, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of lVorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented cer- Jticles or containers, from a delivering conveyer to the continuously moving carrier in an automatic labeling machine; the objects being to render the mechanism-more satisfactory and efficient, and to provide a feeder device in Which the feeder-fork, or pushing .Inernber, is adapted -to have a longitudinal reciprocative action relatively to the feederarm or element, upon which it is supported, and means for controlling the respective movements of said parts.

7 Another object is to provide means for operating said feeder element and its end- Wise reciprocating fork or pushing member by, or in connection with the bottle carrier, and arranged to be non-operative in respect -to,.the reciprocation of said fork unless a bottle or.the like is in action.

My invention consists in a mechanism embodying the features of improvement set forth and fully explained in following detailed description and illustrated by the drawings; the particular subject matter Elaimed being hereinafter definitely speciposition to receive its -In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a ing indicated by dot and dash lines, or in section, the better to reveal the forms of underlying portions.

Fig. 3 represents a separate plan view of the tripping catch. Fig. 4 isafragmentary plan view of the cam-engaging rollers. Fig. 5 is a front view of the cam deviceszat the front edge of the rotary carrier, and.Fig. 6 is a plan "lQY illustrating the action of the mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 12 indicates the rotary table or carrier upon Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed September 21, 1915.

.tion, to such machines,

Patented Sept. 26, 1916. Serial No. 52,774.

which the bottles or like articles are advanced for being labeled; 13 indicates the traveling conveyer for bringing the bottles or articles from any convenient distance to the transfer passway 10 and barrier 15, the

upper portion of the latter being shown by dash and dot lines on Fig. 2. l6 and 17 indicate upright guards or fenders defining the path within which the bottles or articles are carried forward, and 14 is one of the bottle pusher rests. These enumerated parts may be severally constructed and combined to operate in the manner heretofore employed in labeling machines of the character described in Letters Patent Number 1,113,854 heretofore granted me; but are herein shown to better illustrate the adaptaof the improvements which constitute the subject matter of in vention hereinafter clai ned.

In accordance with my present invention the feeder mechanism comprises a main arm, lever, or body member 20, having a suitable bearing hub 22 atone end mounted to swing upon an upright axis or stud 19 fixed in the machine frame 1. Said arm is preferably provided at its other end with a rigidly attached horizontally curved prong 21 pro jectingfrom its upper side and extended partially across the passway 10 through which the bottles or the like are fed. A bottle-engaging fork a longitudinally disposed rod .23 having a broad furcated head, is mounted to have or member, comprising and 6 upon the main arm 20, and is furnished with a spring 24, preferably a push spring coiled about the rod, for normally projecting the head of the fork at the outer end of the main arm, and 2. I

The feed-foflgis preferably formed With straight "upper and loWer parts 2 and 3 at its head having finished surfaces which fit and slide smoothly within the guiding bearings 5 upon the arm 20, while the rear end of the rod 23 is arranged to slide Within the guiding bearing 6 adjacent to the fulcrum hub 22, which latter bearing serves as an abutment for the end of the spring 24.

The arm 20 has, at an intermedial position thereon, a projection orear in which a deas shown in Figs. 1

the upward pending stud 25 is fixed. A roller 26 is arranged upon said stud and runs against a cam surface 27 upon the edge of the carrier 12 for controlling the movement of the arm; said arm being constantly pressed forward to keep the roller 26 against the cam 27 by the pull spring 28 that is'connected with a projecting member or lug 0 formed upon the arm, and with an anchor device a secured to the frame, The delineation of the intermedial portion of this spring 28 is omitted on the present drawings fthe better to reveal underlying parts.

Supported upon the stud'25, adjacent to the roller 26, I arrange a hub 30 carrying an arm 31.that is connected by a link 32 with the head of the feed-fork 23 by a pivot joint at 33. Also, in connection with the hub 30, I provide an eccentrically disposed member, and cam-engaging roller 36, that forms the opposite and to the lever of which the arm 31 is a part,.and the hub is the fulcrum piece; said roller being preferably adapted to be shifted up or down out of operative alinement with its actuating means. As illustrated, (see Figs. 1 and 4;) these parts are arranged as follows: The

hub 30 has connected therewith by a hOl1-.

zontal hinging joint34, a bracket or supporter 35, having the cam-engaging roller 36 mounted upon a suitable axis stud fixed in said 5111 porter, eccentric to the axis of the depen ing stud 25. Said roller 36 is permitted by'the horizontal hinging action,

to a normal working posito be brought up -tion adjacent to and parallel with the roller 26, or dropped to a lower inclined position. A stop=guard 37 is provided for arresting swing of the roller when at a position with its plane perpendicular to the axis of the stud. The roller isadapted for engagement, when elevated, with a series of cam-devices 39 fixed upon the rotaryv carrier 12, and for escaping contact with said cam-devices when it 1S swung downward on its hinges 34. By the action of the camdevice 39 against the roller a partial rotation of the hub 30 is effected, swinging the arm 31 and drawing back the link 32, thereby producing an endwise retractive movement of the feed-fork in opposition to the pressure of the spring 24, which latter returns the parts to when the roller 36 is released by the camdevice.

The roller 36 is elevated from its idle position into alinement with the cam-devices 39, by suitably disposed inclined guides 40 connected with the carrier 12, which pass under the free end of the hinged supporter 35 and swing it up into level relation with l the cam 39. These inclined guides 40 are support 35 will not so placed that the roller the main arm 20 contact therewith unless has started to swinginward and moved to Y gages with to bring it into or their primal position,

which is arranged beneath the fore end of the main arm or lever 20, pivoted at its outer end to the stationary frame by the fulcrum stud #l3, and provided with a spring 45 which tends to return the catch-device to primal position. Said made as shown in Fig. 3, with an upstanding lip or flange 7 facing the conveyor 13, and against which the bottles or the like contact as they come into position for transfer; also with a lug or member 8 that ena coacting lug main arm, ward position excepting when the catch 18 released by swinging .back which is effected by contact of the approaching bottle therewith, as heretofore practised. The lugs 8 and 9 may be arranged for looking the catch against tripping action until the main arm is moved slightly backward; such feature, however, was described in my previous Letters .Patent, structed means.

The feed-fork is preferably providedupon its lower fork-member 3 with an outstanding flange or guard-plate l? having an inclined outer edge. The purpose of flange isfor warding ofi pieces or broken glass, or any solid obstructionthat might accidentally interfere with the action of the feed-mechanism.

In the operation: When abottle or the like, brought in upon the traveling conveyer 13, contacts with and pushes back the catch 42, the arm 20 is released and the depression in the cam surface 27 against which the roller 26 runs, permits said swung forward by the force of the spring 28; the extended ends 2 and 3 of the feedfork engaging behind the bottle and propelling it through. the passway, 10 from the conveyor onto the rotating carrier 12, where is is carried forwardas usual. During the:

the catch-device,.

but by other con said arm to becatch-device may be leaving the roller 36, permits the feed-fork to be re-projected to its outward position by action of the spring 2%.

hat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. An automatic feed mechanism for labeling machines comprising, in combination with a or the like are carried to label-applying mechanism, a delivering conveyor, and a laterally movable feeder-arm; of an endwise reciprocating bar, its head adapted for pushing a bottle or the like from the conveyor to the carrier, rier for retracting said bar during the backward movement of the feeder-arm, and means for projecting said bar to engage the bottle during the forward movement of the fcciler-arm.

In a mechanism of the character described, the combination with a bottle-carrier, a bottle-delivering conveyor having a barrier and passway therefrom to the bottlecarrier, a feeder-means inclnding an arm pivoted to swing across the conveyer, and having'a backward curved outwardly projecting prong, a-projectable pusher meirber supported upon said arm and endwise slidable to and from projecting relation, a spring for normally projecting said pusher member, a connection and actuating means therefor operatively controlled by cam-devices that move with the bottle-carrier, a spring for yielding y advancing said arm, and means for positively moving said arm backward in opposition to the forceof the spring.

3. In combination with a bottle-delivering conveyer, and a rotary carrier to which the bottles are shuntsd, a bottle-shunting mechanism, including a swinging supportingarm, and an endwise extendable and retractable bottle-actuating element mounted thereon in approximately lengthwise relation to the arm, and means for actuating said parts.

4. In a mechanism of the class described,

in combination with a rotary carrier a delivery conveyer having a pass-way leading to said rotary carrier; of a feeder device including movable supporting element carrying a p'rojectable member adapted for telescoping action, means for operating the feeder device, and means for effecting extension of the projectable member to control the passway during its forward action, and means for its retraction to relieve the passway during the backward action of said feeder device.

A feeder mechanism, includinga swinging arm pivoted at its rear end, and having a contact member for engaging an actuating means, endwise movable rod mounted in said ariii and having head for engaging with the bottle, a spring for projecting said head, a connection for retracting said head, means for actuating the retractor, and

rotating carrier upon which bottlesmeans actuated from the car element fulcrumed a rim upon the bottle-carrier engaging said contact roll, substantially as set forth.

(3. In a feed mechanism for the purpose s t forth, the combination, of a laterally swinging arm pivoted at ts rear end and having at its fore end a curved prong that projects in'front of the bottlt or ille lllx't, an endwise movable bottle-engaging fo k mounted in bearings upon said sw nging arm, moving therewith, and adapted for projection behind the bottle, .means for retracting said fo k out of reach of the bottle, means for actuating the swinging arnnend means for imparting rec procative action to the bottle-engaging fork.

7. In a mechanism of the character described, the combin'tion with a iota-ry bottle carrier, an oscillating feeder arm provided with a depending stud having a cam-engaging roller mounted thereon, and an endwise movable feeder-fork mounted in guides on said feeder arm; of a fork-retracting lever having a hub mounted on said depending stud, a shiftable eccentrically located camengaging roller, a supporter for said roller laterally hinged to the hub of said lever to move up and down, cam-devices moving with the bottle-carr er. for actuating said lever, and inclined guide flanges in connectioif therewith for shifting said cam-engaging roller into alinement with said actuating cam-devices.

8. A feeder mechanism for the purpose specified, comprising an oscillatable body at one end and provided with an intermedially disposed cam-engaging member, a feeder means longitudinally movable in guides upon said body element, aspring for normally projecting said feeder means for actuating a bottle or the like, a retracting lever carried upon said body element and connected with said feeder means; a shiftable cam-engaging roller connected with said lever, actuating cams for individua-lly controlling the movement of said body element and said feeder means, springs for yielding-1y forcing or moving said body element and feederaneans in their operative action, and means for shifting said cam-engaging roller into alincment with its actuating cam.

9. A feeding mechanism for the purpose setforth, comprising a body element pivotally supported near one end, and having a spring attaching ear and an intermediately disposed stud; a roller mounted on said stud for contact with an actuating cam,

a 'bottle feeder member longitudinally movable in guides upon said body element, a spring for normally projecting said feeder, a swinging lever fulcrumed on the body element and having an arm connected with said feeder member, its other arm carrying a cam-engaging roller, cam surfaces for individually controlling the movements of said 10. In il lDQChflIllSlTl of the character de-- scribed, a main swinging feeder arni having a stud fixed therein, a cam-engaging roll upon said stud, a reciprocating feed-fork carried on said ill'lll an actuating spring and retracting lever for said fork, and a hingingly attached rollsupporter carrying a roller and connected With said lever; in combination with a bottle-carrier table having cam surfaces adapted for contact with the roller on said main feeder arm, and auxiliary cam devices that engage the roller connected with said fork-retracting lever, said cam-devices relatively located to engage the roller when the main feeder arm is in normal operation, but to escape said roller when the main feeder arnq: remains unactuated, substantially as set -t'orth.

11. In a feeder mechanisln'of the class described, in combination With a delivery conveyer terminating with a barrier and passway, and a laterally moving feeder element adjacent said carrier, of an endwise movable feed-fork .slidably mounted in bearings upon said feeder element, and provided upon its head with an outstanding guard flange having a backwardly inclined edge, means for actuating said feeder ele ment, and nieans for independently imparting endwise shift to said feed-fork.

FRANK O. l/VOODLAND. 

